MULTAN
Mango Research Station (MRS) In-charge Abdul Ghaffar Grewal advised farmers to avail services of skilled labour for harvesting and post harvesting handling of mango produce.
Talking to APP here Sunday, he said, “Unskilled labour causes over 35 per cent losses not only to mango fruit but also to mango orchards. Punjab government had imparted training to hundreds of labourers for harvest and post-harvest handling of the exotic fruit.”
He said the government had set up three centres for imparting skill to labourers in Multan, Shujabad, and Khangarh since South Punjab has been running short of skilled labour. He explained that skilled labour works at a fast pace, protects plants, maintains fruit quality and follows standards for the export of mangoes.
MRS in-charge said that organized and trained labour earned up to Rs 100,000 per month by harvesting mangoes and citrus orchards, asserting that skilled and organized labour ensured proper softening of orchard soil, plucking of fruit, and pruning of plants. Similarly, post-harvest operations including sifting, containment, washing, hot water treatment, drying, grading, packing, and transportation could be well managed by skilled labourers.
